12/15/02

This novel is a lesbian story written by a (presumably) straight husband and wife writing team. I have never yet encountered a male writer who managed, adequately, to get inside of a woman's head. I suspect, but can never know, that this holds true for the women who have tried to write from the inside of a male character. So, I thought, what chance that Mark Montgomery and Irene Powell (who comprise Theoretically Dead's author, Tinker Marks) will successfully portray a lesbian couple? Or that I, not having been part of one, would be able to discern that success or lack thereof?

With all these disclaimers aside then, I can say that this story did work very well for me. The two women protagonists of Theoretically Dead come across to the reader as being just the same as any other couple; in this case a young couple who have to deal with the doubts, longings and tensions of planning to become parents for the first time. And indeed, why should they not? Tinker Marks makes it clear, in very sensitive manner, how ill founded are many of society's homophobic assumptions and fears. She/he also presents some of the legal injustices that same-sex couples must contend with in many parts of the world for the reader to mull over.

But so much for the sub-plot of the story. Theoretically Dead's main point is to spin a witty murder mystery set on the campus of an Iowan college. Professors, corpses, and red herrings abound; campus faculty politics and the kinds of contemptuous opinion that professors sometimes hold for disciplines not their own make very funny reading. The authors have used their insights (they are professors of Economics at Grinnell College) to delightful effect.

Read Theoretically Dead to enjoy a well-crafted mystery story. Read this as a starting point if you have always wanted to read lesbian fiction but were too shy/scared/prejudiced to try. Explore New Victoria Publishers' online catalogue at www.NewVictoria.com if your appetite has been whetted for more light lesbian fiction (mystery, romance, fantasy and adventure), or even for not-so-light non-fiction and memoir.

Read an excerpt at Amazon.com